French Forces Rescue Hostage in Mali Detained Since 2011

April 6, 2015 11:15 AM

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French special forces on Monday freed a Dutchman held hostage since being kidnapped in 2011 by extremists in Mali, the military said. There was no immediate word on the fate of two men abducted at the same time.

The military said the rescue of Sjaak Rijke took place at 5 a.m. Monday in far northern Mali, and that several militants were captured. Monday's statement did not identify who was holding Rijke, but the Dutchman appeared in a video posted in November by al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb.